Digital Social Hour – Episode 1484

Cam Higby: Why Israel's Tech Innovations Matter More Than Ever

Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Cam Higby
Date: August 9, 2025

Overview

In this wide-ranging conversation, Sean Kelly sits down with journalist and commentator Cam Higby at the Student Action Summit to discuss everything from political violence and challenges facing conservative journalists, to myths about Israel, America’s relationship with the country, and why Israel’s tech sector is so much more significant than commonly thought. The episode is candid, sometimes tense, and punctuated with direct insights into the realities of reporting from political hotspots and the practical benefits America gains from its ties with Israel.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cam Higby’s Assault and Modern Political Violence

• Incident in Seattle:
  • Cam details an assault he suffered covering riots undercover in Seattle—describing the circumstances, a lackluster police response, and the challenges of prosecuting politically charged violence in certain cities.
  • "Group of three guys came up...held my hands behind my back...punched me in the back of the head, kicked me in the face." (00:47, Cam Higby)
  • Assault upgraded from misdemeanor to felony only after significant effort; stagnation due to political climate and resource constraints in Seattle PD.
• Challenges for Conservative Journalists:
  • Cam explains being "the only conservative in town," noting he is openly recognized and even targeted, with his face posted throughout Seattle.
  • "There are literally posters of my face all around." (04:31, Cam Higby)
• Going Undercover:
  • Discusses needing to hide his identity to document or report safely at protests due to targeted hostility.
  • “A lot of people see it as kind of like a sketchy thing...[but] it's for, like, just as a safety thing...I just record what I see.” (09:00, Cam Higby)

2. Reflections on Media and Public Debate

• Interactions with Other Influencers:
  • Cam talks about his debates with figures like Dean Withers, calling out performative "apology videos" and the importance of standing by one’s words.
  • “Own it. Like, it’s like you’re gonna do some dumb stuff.” (11:07, Sean Kelly)
  • “I make, like, admittance videos...I don’t apologize for it… I made a mistake.” (12:24, Cam Higby)
• On Audience Capture and Intellectual Honesty:
  • Identifies some TikTok political personalities as “audience captured”; emphasizes a preference for honest disagreement over performative contrition.

3. Israel’s Strategic Importance to the U.S.

• Foreign Aid Mechanics and Military R&D:
  • U.S. aid to Israel is largely a military “stipend” that cycles money back to U.S. defense contractors, not cash directly handed to Israel.
  • “First of all, I’m a capitalist and I support government dollars going from the government to the private sector.” (17:27, Cam Higby)
  • Israel functions as a real-world testing ground for U.S. military tech, exemplified by combat validation of the F-15 vs. Russian MiGs in the 1980s, co-development of the Patriot missile, and advancements in tank defense systems.
  • “Israel is basically an R&D program for our military industrial complex.” (17:27, Cam Higby)
• Counterterrorism Collaboration:
  • Israel’s intelligence apparatus frequently thwarts attacks on U.S. assets due to deep engagement in Middle Eastern networks.
  • “They’ve stopped, like, countless terrorist attacks on US soil...they are like the primary beating post for Arab terrorism or Muslim terrorism.” (20:27, Cam Higby)

Notable Segment: Israel and American Military Tech

• 17:15–19:39:
  Cam details how Israel’s combat experience with U.S. equipment—especially the F-15 and anti-missile tech—provided the U.S. with crucial real-world feedback that improved American military readiness.

4. Israel as a Tech Powerhouse

• Startups and Innovation:
  • Israel (Tel Aviv) is ranked as the fourth global hub for startups, with American companies frequently acquiring Israeli firms and technology.
  • Key inventions from Israel now woven into daily American life include Waze (traffic navigation), Mobileye (autonomous driving tech), airport security scanners, and lane-assist systems in vehicles.
  • “Tel Aviv is the number four city in the entire world for tech startups I believe.” (21:41, Cam Higby)
• Integration of Israeli Tech:
  • Unique analysis on how Google’s map products rely on Israeli-pioneered technology, with Waze serving as the backbone for real-time traffic information in Google Maps.
  • “The geomapping technology that Google Maps has is large in part due to Waze, which was invented [in Israel].” (23:01, Cam Higby)

5. Dispelling Myths About Israel

• Diversity and Social Fabric:
  • Cam counters common depictions of Israel as a homogenous or “apartheid” nation, describing it as remarkably diverse with peaceful coexistence across ethnic, cultural, and religious lines.
  • “It is the most racially and religiously diverse country I’ve ever been to… the Arabs and the Christians, you have of every shade.” (24:07, Cam Higby)
  • Discusses Jerusalem’s quarters (Armenian, Christian, Muslim, Jewish) being non-exclusive, with communities intermixed “walking right by each other.”
• Relationship to America’s Interests:
  • Argues that U.S. support for Israel is ultimately pragmatic and mutually beneficial, especially in technology and geostrategic terms.
  • “Anywhere in the world where you can extract American interests... you should do it.” (16:09, Cam Higby)

Notable Segment: Israel’s Social Diversity

• 24:07–25:55:
  Cam offers detailed observations from his travels, directly addressing and dismantling “apartheid state” rhetoric with examples of social integration and communal overlap.

Notable Quotes

• “Group of three guys came up...punched me in the back of the head, kicked me in the face. And, you know, we're still struggling to get...any kind of justice.”
  — Cam Higby, 00:47

• “If the prosecutor won't take the case, there is no point in arresting this person.”
  — Cam Higby, 01:36

• “I make, like, admittance videos...But I don't apologize for it...I made a mistake. This is what happened.”
  — Cam Higby, 12:27

• “Israel is basically an R&D program for our military industrial complex.”
  — Cam Higby, 17:27

• “Tel Aviv is the number four city in the entire world for tech startups I believe...New York, Los Angeles, London, Tel Aviv.”
  — Cam Higby, 21:41

• “The geomapping technology that Google Maps has is large in part due to Waze, which was invented [in Israel].”
  — Cam Higby, 23:01

• “It is the most racially and religiously diverse country I've ever been to.”
  — Cam Higby, 24:07

• “Anywhere in the world where you can extract American interests out of other places of the world, you should do it.”
  — Cam Higby, 16:09

Other Memorable Moments

• On Being a Target:
  Posters of Cam’s face in Seattle signal the polarized nature of journalism in some U.S. cities. (04:31)
• Media Hysteria & Fearmongering:
  Discussion of exaggerated claims on social media (detentions by customs, “concentration camps”) as largely unfounded, serving mainly to stoke fear. (13:25–14:39)
• Sean’s Perspective Shift:
  By the end, Sean admits:
  “You might have changed my opinion on Israel. I'm not gonna lie. I gotta look into everything more.” (23:28)

Timeline / Timestamps

• 00:36–03:14: Cam recounts his assault at Seattle protest and police response
• 04:23–06:44: Life as a conservative journalist in Seattle; being targeted
• 07:46–09:35: How violence impacts journalistic coverage and necessity of going undercover
• 10:48–12:23: Cam’s philosophy on public mistakes and “admittance videos”
• 15:47–19:39: Israel as an R&D lab for U.S. military and the mechanics of American aid
• 20:27–21:49: Israeli counterterror intelligence helping the U.S.
• 21:41–23:28: Israel’s tech sector and integration in American daily life (Mobileye, Waze, airport security)
• 24:07–25:56: Diversity and social fabric in Israel, debunking apartheid myths

Conclusion

This episode offers a blend of on-the-ground political reporting, skepticism of mainstream narratives about Israel, and a deep dive into the often-overlooked benefits of U.S.-Israel relations in defense, intelligence, and everyday tech. Cam Higby connects personal anecdotes with high-level policy, making a complex subject accessible and engaging, while Sean Kelly provides curiosity and a willingness to reconsider his own views.

Find Cam Higby on all major platforms: @camHigby